Chicken Caesar Quinoa Salad
This Chicken Caesar Quinoa Salad is light yet refreshing, and is full of flavor and packed with protein. It makes for a perfect lunch or BBQ side dish!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 cups cooked quinoa roughly 12 ounces
- 2 cups shredded chicken diced store-bought rotisserie chicken, or chopped grilled chicken
- 2 cups finely chopped lettuce or kale
- 1 cup roughly chopped or small croutons
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- 1 cup chopped grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/3 cup shredded fresh parmesan cheese more as desired
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/3 cup Caesar dressing more to taste
For the dressing:
- ½ cup mayo homemade or store-bought
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon anchovy paste optional
- Pine sea salt
- Pinch ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the Croutons if making them homemade and set aside.
- Make the Caesar Dressing: Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl or mason jar and whisk together. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
- Make the Quinoa: see posts for various notes!
- Chop the chicken, lettuce, scallions, tomatoes, cilantro, and shave the cheese.
- Assemble all the salad ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon.
- Toss with dressing. Taste and add more dressing, salt, pepper, and lemon juice as desired!
- Serve immediately and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
- For the chicken: you can use shredded, store-bought rotisserie, or chopped grilled chicken. I've made this with all three, and love the flavor the fresh grilled chicken adds!